When sharing our stories
we sometimes also share
the weight we carry
as the sole bearer
of our stories.
Trust vs Expect
Trust
implies vulnerability.
Expectation
demands certainty.
To lose trust
because of our violated
expectations
is to forget what it means
to trust.
Or to realize
that from the start,
there was no trust,
just unmanaged
expectations.
Best Interest
When we hyper-empathize
we can conflate
what is in our own best interest
with what is in the best interest
of the other
with which
we hyper-empathize.
That other
maybe our company,
our children,
or any number
of “others.”
Doing Our Best
Doing our best
requires clarity,
acceptance,
and appreciation
of our own
limits.
Otherwise
we may confuse our best
with someone else’s:
someone
with different
limits.
Such confusion
can give rise to shame
and doubt,
preventing us
from doing our
best.
Distraction
Sometimes,
we discover in hindsight,
that we have wasted our energy
on a distraction.
When this happens,
it may be easy to blame ourselves
for not having had
foresight.
But without a clear direction,
what counts as distraction
and what does not
may only become obvious
in hindsight.
To decide with foresight
may we gain clarity of direction
first
to helps us discern
what counts as distraction
and what does not.
May we choose
to take responsibility
instead of blaming ourselves.
Geometry
“What is the point
of life?”
we sometimes
ask.
May we not forget
that we can also ask
“What is the circle
of life?”
or
“What is the sphere
of life?”
We need not choose
to limit our lives
to a point.
What are you making?
In the creative process,
when someone asks
“What are you making?”
an honest answer
is often times
“I don’t know.”
And yet,
we sometimes
make up an answer
and take offense
when others
do not understand,
while we ourselves
also
do not understand,
which means others
cannot understand.
Why don’t they just?
One
of the simplest ways to notice
that we may have met
the limit of our ability
to respect
is to hear ourselves think
“Why don’t they just…?”
Telling Them Not to Do It
When our team
have something they want to do
and we tell them
not to do it,
we may feel satisfied
seeing them
stop.
…
What we may not realize
is that they may be doing it
behind our back.
What I Really Wanted
I thought I wanted
to sing.
What I really wanted
was permission
to feel.
I thought I wanted
to act.
What I really wanted
was permission
to be real.
I thought I wanted
to make furniture.
What I really wanted
was permission
to play.